The Portland daily press., 1887-10-28
AFTERNOON SESSION.

NJ the Soutil, ana he was followed Dy rev.
w. A. Crathswait.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The session was opened with singing by
the congregation, and prayer by Rev. DR.. E.
Psyson Thwing, of Brooklyn. Mr.. Chas A.
Hull, of New York, presented the financial
report which was as follows:
Report Of Financial Committee.
In presenting their report upon the financial
condition and management of the business of the
American Missionary Association, your commit
tee on Finance desire to commend the clear and
thorough manner in which the accounts are kept,
so that any needed Information may be had re-
garding any one of the numerous items of invest
ment or expense at the numerous places where
the work Of the Association is carried on. The
schedule of the property owned by the Association
shows IL to be possessed of buildings and land for
the carrying on of the educational and church
s576 '54ol5' in addition 10 this plant. the En-.
dowment funds amount to $229, 375.7S which are
securely invested, and yield an annual income of
about $4,000. The Association also holds con-
ditional Trust funds amounting to $50, 90.
The good judgment shown in the purchase of land
the erection OF buildings, and the investment OF
the permanent funds speaks well for the through
care of the officers and the Executive Committee.
The committee desire to congratulate you and
the Congregational churche of our land upon the
extinction of the debt which for several years has
been burden to the Association. The treasur-
ers report shows balance on hand Of 2,l93S0,
after paying every liability of the Association up
to October !, 1887, including the debt of S5,783.
IL. which remained at the end Of the previous
year.
In order to accomplish this however 1t has
been necessary to defer until the receipts should
warrant 1t, much work which presses with I'M
fields
We find that the treasurer's accounts are regu-
larly and faithfully examined each month by the
financial committee Of your executive board; and
at the end of the year by two auditors chosen by
the Association who attach their certificate TO the
report, and who are thoroughly reliable business
men. The accuracy and economy o the work are
thus as fully secured as in any merely business es-
tablishmenf. The bylaws OF the executive COM
mittee provide a system Of checks upon the Off
GERS similar 10 those in use Ia great corporations
and while of old il was said that The children of
this world are wiser in their generation than the
children of light" glad 10 note that in the
administration OF the American Missionary ASSO-
citation so great degree Of worldly wisdom or
common sense has been employed.
The duties OF the Treasurer are responsible, and
have been performed with exactitude and fidelity.
The receipts for current work of the year from all
sources have been $500, 81; and the expendi-
lures therefor, 5 S,7S3:sO.
These items Of expenditure have been carefully
examined in detail by your Committee, and they
report that in each department the most careful
economy has been used and no curtailment which
would not ma erially cripple the effective force of
the Association seems possible.
Your Committee have taken some pains to COM
pare the expenses OF the Association with those of
other missionary societies. and we find that it does
not suffer in the comparison. The Committee note
with regret that the expenditure for work among
the Indians aud Chinese have been cut down mate
rally as compared with The previous fiscal year
but we believe that the policy OF the Executive
Committee in refusing 20 incur liabilities which the
C0ngregationaliStS Of the country would not meet
Is the right one.
They must keep the Association so economically
and so safely managed that no reproach may justly
fall upon it and the fact that they are able to come
before You al this meeting and TO report the abso
Lutte extinction Of the load Of debt which has been
upon them and you for several years, and have
yet developed aud prosecuted with vigor the grand
labor for the oppressed, appeals in the strongest
possible way TO You for the most generous increase
OF the sums 10 be intrusted 10 their management
in the year To come.
Il Departments nred charging. The Southern
work ought 70 have not lie s than $3.50 O;
$4,000 is a small sum to spend upon the Chinese
on our western coast, while S6O,OOu would hardly
give the much needed development TO the Indian
Mission. Shall not the $4,000 thus plainly
needed and earnestly recommended by the last
National Council Of congregational Churches be
forthcoming? From us 10 whom much has been
given much will surely be required. If we cannot
In person 90 with these Christian men and women
who arc devoting their lives 70 The direct work of
this Association, into the cabin of the negro, the
abode of the mountaneer, the opium den of the
Chinese. or the wigwam of the Indian; let us at
least say 10 those who do,-"We will uphold your
hands, we will abundautly support your work, we
Will. as tar as We eau, share your burdens and be
your fellow laborers.
Upon this report remarks were made by
Mr.. Hull. Rev. DIR. MeIlvaine, of Rhode
Island, Rev. Smith Baker, of Massachu-
sets, Rev. Charles w. Shelton, principal
secretary of the Indian mission, and Rev.
| Mr.. Deane. of Massachusetts.
The report was accepted.
A recess of five minutes was taken, and
| then, after singing
Gan hail the power of Jesus name"
DR.. Roy of Illinois, who presided, called to
order the meeting of the Woman's Bureau.
The chairman read passages of Scripture,
after which Miss ID. K. Emerson of Ne W
York, read the report of the Bureaus work
for the year, which is as follows;
Bureau of Woman's Work.
In inviting the women of the North, and partic-
ularly those of the Congregational churches to
help establish and sustain its missions, the Amer
lean Missionary Association has felt that womans
work in the churches at home is as important as
womans work, ia the mission field, in order TO
| cure the greatest efficiency, the best results Of
Nor have we been disappointed. As the hearts
| Of those at home have opened pityingly toward
the needs of women suffering from the effects of
| own country, and the hearts of our missionaries
have been burdened with the same woes, the help
| ing hand has been mutually extended; and it has
| been the mission of the bureau of woinan's work
to join these hands in strong and loving ministry.
Our woman's work in the field can be only brief
ly referred to here. 1t Is embodied in the full
| port which the Association gives of all its mis-
| sions. or the l6 Normal and graded schools re-
ported by the Association, are in the charge of
lady teachers alone. One of these is boarding
school especially for girls, and is similar in plan 10
the Mt H0lyoke and Auburndale schools But in
| all our boarding schools like methods are intro
| duced, indeed the best that can be culled from
| Northern experience is put into practice.
Some slight changes IN our plan OF work should
/ in woman's work. We no longer select our spe-
clal missionaries mainly for house to house visit
effective organized work; To concentrate effort
/ upon The training of the young for use
nes as most essesIa by an, w %a
| accomplished in our boarding schools, but where
| we have only day schools or churches We have
| felt the need Of reaching the home life more effec
lively than could he done by missionary visitor.
We therefore bring the young people to our spec
ial missionary for practical Instruction, connect
| ing this with The Christian training.
Sewing schools are established in which girls
are taught not merely how 10 sew Wen, but how to
cut and make garments for themselves and fathers
| and brothers. Kitchen garden has been quite
| generally introduced for teaching all kinds OF
| laundry kitchen and diningroom work, care OF
bedrooms and bedding, polite attention to guests
| with all amenities of home life Thus transfer
nation has been made in many homes through
| the new life opened up to the children.
| White Shield and White Cross Societies are sus.
| tanned in the interests OF purity. Missionary So
| cieties are formed and the young people are
| taught how TO manage them. Through these so
| cieties the sympathy and interest OF eolored and
| Indian women have been so moved as to lead to
self denial that would put us to shame so eager
are they TO give TO others the light they have re-
| ceived. Temperance work has prominent place
| in all our missions, As Illustrative of the infu-
| ence exerted IN this direction we note one in.
stance. The principal of our colored school in
| Jonesboro, Tenn, organized her temperance so
ciety ten years ago, and for years 1t was the only
one in the place. Thus the colored people were
organized and ready for action long before the
| white ladies. Our Northern missionary bought
materials for coors sat up nights and lettered the
| banners, and at the late election in Tennessee
| took her school To the polls nearly every child
| carryinga suggestive motto. such as protect
| Our Homes" Lead us not into Temptation"
| Through her persistence and energy the white
| ladies' OF The Wnman's Christian Temperance
Union Joined In the movement. 1t is true, the
| amendment was lost in the State but in Jones'
| boro every c0lored man except two voted for pro
| hlbiton. Noble efforts may sometimes fall-noble
| lives, never.
But even could our woman's work In the field
/ be written in minute detail 1t would give but an
| imperfect review of what is undertaken. You
| hear Of Overlooking schools, Of many forms OF
| Christian work, Of the numbers added TO our
| churches from ranks in day and sunday schools
| but the wrestling prayers of earnest women, the
| has entered into what We call success, who shall
| record? Over 200 such missionaries the Amer
| can Missionary Association has upon IFS rolls
| and IL is for these, ana that We my add to the
| number that we ask your united support.
| We have nuch 10 encourage US IN the reSul OF
| the past year. There has been an earnest
reaching out by Ladies' Societies, Sunday schools,
| and Mission Bands, Tor some special work which
would tell for good In direct influence toward the
| enlighte nment If those in darkness and need
and contributions have been so applied as to be al
once helpful 10 our treasury and yet assigned to
| some specific object interesting TO contributors
| Christian tndeavOr Societies have begun to come
| forward with their help These societies which